General Engineer-Physical Scientist

National Nuclear Security Administration; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 143,000; Full time

Job summary

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is seeking a General Engineer/Physical Scientist to oversee projects at the National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. The role involves providing technical guidance on requirements, budgets, and schedules, with accountability for performance against milestones and regulatory compliance.

The successful candidate will participate in annual budget reviews, coordinate with program offices, and ensure alignment with program guidance and baselines.

Qualifications

• Engineering-related degree with required coursework in physical science, mechanics, materials, electronics.
• ABET-accredited program (or equivalent) in engineering or related field; licensure may apply.

Responsibilities

• Provides technical and program guidance on requirements, priorities, schedules, data exchanges, and policy implementation.
• Develops budget estimates, reviews contractor budget inputs, and defends budget narratives to management.
• Monitors performance against milestones, reviews progress, and evaluates contractor performance.
• Reviews budget documents and strategic plans for consistency with baselines and performance measures.

Education

Engineering/Physical Science/Math degree + required coursework

Engineering degree (ABET-accredited program) or equivalent

Job description

• Hiring Agency: National Nuclear Security Administration
• Department: Department of Energy
• Hiring Path: Fed Excepted
• Number of Openings: 1
• Security Clearance: Q Access Authorization

A successful candidate in this position will support the NNSA Y-12 Field Office (YFO) Assistant Manager for Programs and Projects, providing oversight of projects at the National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN.

Key Responsibilities

As a General Engineer/Physical Scientist you will: Provides scientific/engineering advice, guidance and assistance to NNSA program offices or site managers on the interpretation and application of technical requirements and policies, execution of priorities and schedules, implementation of data exchanges and standardization, evaluation of significant modifications and/or alternative approaches, and initiation of revisions or corrective actions as required.

Develops estimates for inclusion in program budget, supporting data and justifications for assigned program segments; reviews budget input from contractors, making revisions as appropriate. Interprets budget assumptions, and prepares budget narratives and long range budget estimates. Defends budget estimates to senior program managers through written and oral justifications. Recommends revisions to program schedules and resource information.

Establishes and tracks performance against technical milestones. Reviews progress of engineering/scientific technical activities; compares costs and schedules to established baseline; and provides timely and accurate status reports to management. Evaluates field site and/or contractor performance.

Conducts annual reviews of budget documents, strategic plans, management commitments, regulatory compliance agreements and incentive contracts and fees to ensure consistency with program guidance and approved baselines, reviews deviations in critical path, and recommends changes in performance measures and other milestones/events.

Independently makes decisions concerning both technical and administrative policies and resolves controversial problems and/or conflicting points of view concerning the adequacy of the contractor's environmental, safety and health procedures or compliance with applicable orders, laws, and regulations.

Requirements & Education

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: This position may be filled as a 0801 General Engineer or a 1301 Physical Scientist. Each job series requires applicants to meet a Basic Education Requirement in addition to at least one full year of specialized experience as described below. You must meet all qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement. To qualify for the 1301 Physical Scientist: EDUCATION: A.

Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. OR B. Combination of education and experience: education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

To qualify for the 0801 General Engineer: EDUCATION: A. Degree: Engineering.

To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR B. Combination of education and experience: college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering.

The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.

Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration.

For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.

Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance.

Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home.

You must submit a copy of your college transcript (unofficial is acceptable) from an accredited institution listing the college/university, degree confirmation date(s) and applicable courses for the position you are applying to.If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency (a U.S. private organization's interpretation that such education has been deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S.

education programs) with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. If you are selected, official transcripts will be required. Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $89508 – $142549/yr.

What security clearance is required?

This position requires a Q Access Authorization security clearance.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-10-12.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Excepted' hiring path.

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Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government